The origins of freedom of speech may be traced back to the British Parliament’s session in early 1397, when the House of Commons adopted an act denouncing the scandalous behaviour of the court of Richard II, King of England, and the enormous financial burden it entailed. Thomas Haxey, MP, was tried and sentenced to death for treason as the instigator of an act aimed directly against the King and his court. However, as a result of pressure from the House of Commons, the sentence was not carried out and he was granted a pardon by the King. This incident led the House of Commons to consider the question of the right of parliamentarians to discuss and deliberate quite independently and freely without any interference from the Crown. As already mentioned, the history of freedom of speech is inextricably bound up with the constitutional history of the United Kingdom. It developed in parallel with the occasionally fierce and protracted struggle between the House of Commons and the Crown. 137

Almost three hundred years later, freedom of speech established as a
principle in the House of Commons at the beginning of the sixteenth century, was [reaffirmed in Article 9 of the 1689 Bill of Rights,138 which expressly stipulated
that discussions and acts by MPs were exempt from all forms of interference or
contestation from outside Parliament.]

137 See, The First Chapter of the Paper.

[138 Article 9 of the 1689 Bill of Rights, “That the freedom of speech and debates or proceedings in
Parliament ought not to be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of Parliament.”
http://www.constitution.org/
eng/eng_bor.htm.]

As already mentioned, the history of freedom of speech is inextricably bound up with the constitutional history of the United Kingdom. It developed in parallel with the occasionally fierce and protracted struggle between the House of Commons and the Crown.

The origins of freedom of speech may be traced back to the British Parliament's session in early 1397, when the House of Commons adopted an act denouncing the scandalous behaviour of the court of Richard II, King of England, and the enormous financial burden it entailed. Thomas

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Haxey, MP, was tried and sentenced to death for treason as the instigator of
an act aimed directly against the King and his court. However, as a result
of pressure from the House of Commons, the sentence was not carried out
and he was granted a pardon by the King.

This incident led the House of Commons to consider the question of
the right of parliamentarians to discuss and deliberate quite independently
and freely without any interference from the Crown. Almost three hundred
years later, freedom of speech, established as a principle in the House of
Commons at the beginning of the sixteenth century, was reaffirmed in
Article 9 of the 1689 Bill of Rights, which expressly stipulated that
discussions and acts by MPs were exempt from all forms of interference or
contestation from outside Parliament.